The increased demand for electricity due to high temperatures can be met by the system, provided that there are no failures in the production units, the Spokesperson of the Cyprus Transmission System Operator, Hara Kousiapa, told KYPE.
As he mentioned, electricity consumption has been increasing in recent days due to the prolonged heat wave. On Monday, at 14:30, total demand rose to 1,156 megawatts, while around 20:00 it stood at 921 MW, a level that is characterized as relatively high for the evening hours.
"We have enough to meet the demand," said Ms. Kousiappa, noting that the maximum consumption during this summer season is expected to range between 1,260 and 1,300 MW.
Critical afternoon hours
The maximum total demand is usually recorded at noon, when production from Renewable Energy Sources is increased.
In contrast, during the afternoon peak, when the sunshine decreases and the system relies almost exclusively on conventional units, demand is expected to range between 1,060 and 1,090 MW.
"It seems that demand will be able to be met, but given that we will not have any breakdowns," said the TSOC Spokeswoman.
He added that production plants are running continuously and under increased pressure due to high temperatures, which increases the likelihood of technical problems.
In the event of a breakdown, the Administrator may appeal to citizens to limit consumption to specific hours.
He also did not rule out the possibility of a rotational rejection of consumer load, in order to maintain the balance between production and demand, clarifying, however, that at the moment there is no problem of sufficiency.
The effect of high temperatures
Ms. Kousiappa explained that consumption is affected not only by the height of the temperature, but also by the duration of the heat wave.
When high temperatures continue for many days, buildings heat up more and the use of air conditioners increases, causing demand to remain high even after sunset.
"We believe that demand will reach higher levels if the hot days continue," he noted.
Up to 70% contribution of RES
The contribution of Renewable Energy Sources has covered in some periods up to 70% of the total demand, for many hours a day and for consecutive days.
Recently, RES coverage has hovered around 60%, as consumption remained elevated in the afternoon hours.
On Monday, at 14:30, out of 1,156 MW of total demand, only 394 MW were covered by conventional production, while the rest came from RES.
At 20:00, however, out of 921 MW of demand, 896 MW were produced by conventional units, as production from photovoltaics had almost zero.
Wind production can contribute around 40-50 MW during the evening hours, depending on weather conditions.
"That is why the critical hours, during which we depend on conventional units, are the afternoon hours," said Ms. Kousiapa.
Possible new record demand
The existing record of electricity consumption was recorded on July 22, 2024 and amounted to 1,294 MW.
Given that this year's peak demand is projected to reach up to 1,300 MW, the TSOC considers it likely that a new all-time high will be recorded.
